Build your own Brisbane – the exhibition that lets you customise the city

Have you ever gazed at the Brisbane skyline and wondered what it might look like if you were in charge? The Museum of Brisbane has teamed up with beloved Australian illustrator Megan McKean to create BRISTOPIA, a bright and bold reflection of our city’s past, present and future – that you can contribute to.

BRISTOPIA is far more than just an amazing visual work of art – the exhibition incorporates a fully interactive experience that invites visitors to think about Brisbane on a deeper level. The exhibition is equipped with touch screens that allow people to create their own BRISTOPIA using Megan’s separate illustrated components – think Queenslanders, parks, libraries, CityCats and Jacaranda trees. Love it or hate it, even brush turkeys have been included. Visitors can also add comments about their ideal Brisbane to cloud-shaped stickers for a collective sticker wall, the ideas on which will be shared with Brisbane City Council’s Connected Communities team regularly.

This isn’t Megan’s first rodeo when it comes to creating rad recreations of skylines – the whimsical illustrator has paid homage to sites like New York, London, California and Palm Springs, not to mention Sydney and Melbourne a little closer to home. The Museum of Brisbane approached her to create a Bris-centric illustration for our fair city for BRISTOPIA, and the result was a massive six-metre wide creation. For the artwork itself, Megan has drawn upon her signature style incorporating bright colours, strong line work and hidden details to create a depiction that perfectly matches Brisbane’s aesthetic – our city’s naturally bold colour palette and laid-back lifestyle shine through in the visuals.

Ready to see your city from a new perspective? You can check out BRISTOPIA for free when it opens from Friday April 27 at the Museum of Brisbane.